Editor’s note: Toledo Free Press will follow the Blank family of Millbury for the next year as they rebuild their lives after the June 5 tornado destroyed their Main Street home.

Once in a while, for just a moment, Ed Blank and his family will forget they lost nearly everything in the June 5 tornado.
It is usually just the little things, he said during a round of storms that hit Northwest Ohio on June 23.
His wife, Julie, will tell him to get his favorite Oakley sunglasses only to remember they are gone. Then, Julie will go to put on her belt — but that is gone, too.

And when Ed saw sweater vests on a recent shopping trip, he thought of his collection. Also, gone.
Even though everything was gone 15 seconds after the tornado hit, it still hasn’t sunk in. A memory or a momentary lapse of reality will have them seeking something that is no longer around.
“Out of normal practice, you take it for granted that it is still there,” he said.
The Blank family is only three weeks into putting their life back together after the tornado destroyed their Main Street home. The potential for another tornado June 23 took them back to the night their life changed.  Ed said they will never ignore a warning again.
Besides the material loss, the tornado sent Julie to the hospital with minor heart damage and it catapulted them into a conversation with God.
“Why did we live?”
Their neighbors died.
Ryan and Mary Walters said they were tired and going to bed when Ed saw them come home that night.
Ed wishes he had woken them when the sirens sounded, but he didn’t think a tornado would hit his neighborhood. No one thinks that.
“You have feelings of guilt that you made it and your neighbors didn’t,” he said.
The night of the tornado started out as a celebration. His son — a Lake High School student — was turning 15. Originally, the party was to be from 6 to 11 p.m., but Ed said it was only to go to 10 p.m.
His decision — made one week prior — probably saved lives.
Parents began to pick up their kids at about 10 p.m. Ed told those who drove to hurry home because the weather looked bad.
He told his wife, though, “Don’t worry about it, honey. They never hit us.”
But he took precautions. He removed the hanging baskets from their hooks and put them on the porch. He moved the patio furniture away from the inground pool. And he put gasoline in the generator.
At 11:10 p.m., the sirens started going off; then it started to hail. Soon after, he heard the sound of a locomotive, but no horns and whistles. It wasn’t a train on the nearby tracks.
“I sat another couple of seconds and the sky went from black to a bluish green color and about that time, lightning struck or it might have been another transformer going out, and I could see the formation in the field.”
Ed ran into the house, locked the door and flew into the basement, yelling, “Get down, the tornado is on top of us.”
The family, including his grown son, daughter-in-law and grandson, could hear the high winds, but they thought they would only find downed trees and cracked walls.

View of Blank property from back.

When the basement began filling with water, they went to leave, but the stairway was blocked with drywall and debris. When they cleared it and peeked out, they looked up and saw the sky.
The next moments were chaotic.
They started screaming to see if neighbors were OK. Everyone was barefoot, except his wife, so they found random shoes in the street and put them on. Using Casey’s cell phone, they called 911.
“It seemed like I was cast into a movie. It was very surreal … the whole block was a war zone,” Ed said.
Eventually, the Blanks sought shelter. The weather was still dangerous.
“We didn’t know where to begin, we didn’t know the process,” Ed said. “Do we get ahold of the insurance company? Do we look for another place?”
By the next morning, they had called their insurance agency and a representative was visiting the rubble.
“As the victim, I think you are in shock and stunned, but as an outsider, someone who wasn’t hit, they are thinking what do I do to help these people,” Ed said.
In the weeks since the tornado, the Blanks have begun the slow process of picking up the pieces. They moved in with family friends, bought two new cars and met with the builder and designer to rebuild their home.
They still plan to go on vacation in July because they didn’t buy trip insurance. At least it will be a place to live and eat, Ed said, laughing. By August, they want to move into a condo that a family friend has offered.
The rest will come with time, maybe even the answer to why the Blanks survived and the Walters didn’t.
“With the support of the community and church and friends and family, I am certain that our road to recovery will be long, but I am certain that we will be fine,” Ed said.

You know the old saying, “Behind every good man there is a better woman?” Well, the same could be said for the Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic, except in this case, it is two men behind the scenes helping to create a successful tournament for the women golfers of the LPGA Tour.

Nick Myers, head PGA professional, and Dan Salois, golf course superintendent, are responsible for the care and organization of Highland Meadows Golf Club 365 days a year as well as the golf tournament.

Highland Meadows Golf Club in Sylvania is again the site of the Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic presented by Kroger hosted June 28 through July 4. It annually draws the biggest stars from the LPGA ranks to compete for the $1 million purse and benefits more than 115 charities in the Toledo area.

As head golf professional at Highland Meadows, Myers, spends countless hours on the practice range improving members’ golf swings, provides up to date information on golf equipment and supervises the operation of the golf shop.

In addition to his day job, he is also involved in several key areas of the Jamie Farr. The only difference for him during tournament week is that instead of focusing on the members, he is focused on assuring an enjoyable experience for fans, vendors, sponsors and the lady pros.

Nick and his 20 member staff coordinate the merchandise tent, score board and oversee the fleet of golf carts used throughout the grounds by rules officials, vendors, volunteers and LPGA staff. It is a job that involves some long days and nights.

Myers is a graduate of BGSU and is in his eighth season at Highland Meadows. He enjoys the golf club and has seen membership numbers grow in recent years in spite of current economy conditions. He credits this to an outgoing, family friendly club, exposure to the community from the Jamie Farr and an excellent golf course.

Washington State University turf science grad, Dan Salois, came to Highland Meadows Golf Club six years ago and is in his third year as golf course superintendent. Dan and his 20 member crew are responsible for the overall condition of the golf course. When I asked him what he did differently to prepare for the tournament he responded, “Nothing. I believe strongly in providing the same high quality golf course for our members every day as for the LPGA event one week per year.”

Salois’ biggest challenge in course maintenance just prior to the event is working around the various crews building tents and grand stands. The course is in excellent condition despite all of the hot weather and tropical rains thus far in 2010 and no significant changes have been made to the course since last year.

The greens will be running at 10 –11 on the stimpmeter and the rough will be maintained at 2 and a half throughout the week of the tournament. The LPGA monitors course conditions throughout the week to make it fair and playable for all the lady golfers.

The Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic is a very important event for the greater Toledo area and brings in much needed dollars to the local economy, as well as, to fund local charities. The tournament, Highland Meadows and the community are very lucky indeed to have dedicated “Professionals” like Nick Myers and Dan Salois to help make it a huge success.

Changes to the Toledo Municipal Code adding language against racial profiling was presented before Toledo City Council on June 22. The actual legislation was not discussed; which council committee should hear the legislation was the focus.
Councilman Steve Steel presented the legislation that would repeal the current  Toledo Municipal Code Section 525.13 and replace it.  Steel had the legislation listed as going to the Youth, Parks, Recreation & Community Relations committee that he chairs.
Part of the reported inspiration for the proposal, beyond what Steel stated to council, is that Columbus and Cincinnati have passed similar legislation.  Councilman D. Michael Collins questioned why the legislation was not being placed in Public Safety, Law & Criminal Justice committee, which Collins chairs.
Steel stated his reasoning “was the result of discussions I’ve had with the Board of Community Relations … because it grew out of conversations with the Board of Community Relations, it fits in with the committee that deals with community relations.”
Collins disagreed.
“The Board of Community Relations does not enforce laws in the city, public safety does,” he said.
Collins wanted the legislation moved on that basis. Councilman Mike Craig suggested there was nothing that prevented hearings at both committees.
According to Councilman Joe McNamara, a motion would have to be made to relieve it from Youth, Parks, Recreation and Community Relations. If it passed,  Collins could seek to have it placed in Public Safety, Law & Criminal Justice.  The motion failed; only Collins and Councilman George Sarantou voted yes.
Council then moved on to the next item on its agenda. While the changes to the current code will be discussed at the Youth, Parks, Recreation and Community Relations committee meeting on July 6, the community should be aware of what is being proposed.
The current section of 525.13 states: “(a) No public servant, under color of his office, employment or authority, shall knowingly deprive, or conspire or attempt to deprive any person of a constitutional or statutory right.
(b) Whoever violates this section is guilty of interfering with civil rights, a misdemeanor of the first degree.”
This would be replaced with:
“(a) No public servant, under color of his or her office, employment or authority, shall knowingly deprive, or conspire or attempt to deprive any person of a constitutional or statutory right.
(b) Racial profiling is a deprivation of a person’s constitutional or statutory right to be free of an unreasonable search or seizure. Racial profiling consists of stopping, detaining, questioning or arresting a person solely based on their race, color, ethnicity, religion, nationality, gender, sexual orientation, language spoken, accent or attire.
(c) EXCEPTION. Police Officers can use profiling criteria only when engaged in an active search for an individual suspected of or witness to an offense.”
It has been reported that Toledo Police Chief Mike Navarre opposes the legislation.
Now that council has agreed which committee should have at least the first hearing, let’s hope the the reasons Navarre opposes it — and the reasons Toledo should consider it — will be explored.

Toledo Free Press contributor Lisa Renee Ward operates the political blog Glass City Jungle.

Every year, more than 1,100 people volunteer to help run the Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic hosted at Highland Meadows Golf Club.
They are standard bearers, walking scorers, marshals, runners, green reporters, area captains and more. Some take a week off work so they can help with the tournament. Others bring their kids.
Many have been volunteering for five, 10, or 15 years. Some have volunteered at all 26 classics. The youngest volunteers are 8 years old and the oldest are in their 80s. The volunteers have to pay. Being an on-course volunteer costs $55, which covers the cost of the uniform. Off-course volunteers pay $12 for a T-shirt and hat.
“You pay to volunteer, that’s the funny part about it,” said longtime volunteer Bob Standriff, adding that they get access to the lounging tent. “For the 55 bucks, it’s well worth it. With the hat and shirt, you’re a happy camper.”
Standriff has volunteered at the classic for 12 years. He began because he was a member of the Old Newsboys, a charity to which the classic donated some of its proceeds. Jamie Farr is a lifetime member of the group.
“Jamie Farr is just a tremendous guy,” Standriff said.
Standriff is a retired public school teacher and administrator, and works at the tournament for the entire week, which he said he enjoys. He began as a marshal and later became a hole captain, making sure marshals are placed along the fairway and around the green to keep spectators quiet during the golfing.
“The job of the marshals is crowd control, really, to make sure people aren’t yelling and screaming when one of the golfers is getting ready to hit,” he said.
Dave Lick, another member of the Old Newsboys who has been volunteering for about 12 years, is an area captain. He supervises five to six holes, making sure they have enough people and are being properly run.
“It’s not the easiest thing in the world, but I’ve always enjoyed it,” he said.
Standriff likes getting a close view of what’s going on and moving from hole to hole, he said, adding that last year’s tournament was especially exciting because one competitor eagled, or came in 2 under par, to tie for the lead at the hole where he was working.
“You don’t see a lot of eagles,” he said.
Heather Warga, the volunteer coordinator, said that tournament coordinators are always recruiting volunteers. They solicit people by word-of-mouth through other volunteers and have a speaker’s bureau that visits a variety of organizations, including the Lion’s Club, to let people know about volunteer opportunities. She said that while many of the volunteers are drawn to the tournament because of their love of golf, others help because the classic gives so much money to charity.
Volunteering is a lot of fun, she said.
“It’s kind of like an annual rite of summer,” Warga said. “They’re joying themselves, or otherwise they wouldn’t keep coming back.”

Golfers benefit from keeping the ball on the fairway, but local children’s charities will reap the fringe benefits of the Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic.
Since the tournament’s inception in 1984, the Jamie Farr has raised $6.5 million for 115 charitable organizations throughout Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan.
The mission never stops, even with an economy that’s had its share of bogeys. The Jamie Farr raised $300,000 for local charities in 2009.
“It was a great year considering the economy,” said Judd Silverman, tournament director. “We were very pleased.”
Charitable funds comprise all residual income after the tournament’s expenses are covered. In effect, any purchase related to the Jamie Farr benefits the agencies the tournament supports.
The Jamie Farr hosts a number of special events to benefit its charities. The week includes four pro-ams, a putting pro-am and two additional celebrity-pro events. The gala at the SeaGate Convention Centre on June 29 includes a silent auction and benefits charities as well.
Another way patrons have supported local organizations is the Charity Ticket Program. Fans who bought weekly grounds or clubhouse tickets on or before June 18 could complete an online form designating the charity of their choice. That organization would then receive an amount equal to the price of the ticket.
The tournament raised about $15,000 for 90 organizations through the ticket program this year. The Jamie Farr also set aside $10,000 for the victims of the tornadoes that ripped through the region earlier in June. The Lake Kids Relief Fund and the Greater Toledo Area Chapter of the American Red Cross will each receive $5,000, Silverman said.
In addition to the two disaster relief funds, 11 charities will benefit from this year’s tournament. Most receive funding from the Jamie Farr every few years due to the large number of agencies seeking assistance. The only permanent beneficiary is Ronald McDonald House Charities of Northwest Ohio.
“We’ve been involved since the inception of the tournament,” said Chad Bringman, executive director of the local chapter.“It’s a special relationship between the two of us.”
Ronald McDonald House Charities provides housing for families of children receiving medical care. Because guests are not charged for their stay, donations such as those from the Jamie Farr go toward offsetting general operating costs. The tournament has donated more than $1 million to the charity during the past 25 years. Last year, it gave $50,000.
In response, the charity sends as many volunteers as possible to help out come tournament time.
“We do anything that we can to support the tournament,” Bringman said.
Camp Courageous, located in Whitehouse, has been associated with the Jamie Farr for more than a decade. The camp provides outdoor activities for children with developmental disabilities. Donations from the tournament offset the cost of attending the camp.
“We do charge for our services, but we don’t charge the true cost of what it costs a camper to come to camp,” said Executive Director Steve Kiessling.
The tournament last sponsored Camp Courageous in 2006.
Silverman said all donations to charity are monetary.
Individuals can help raise money by purchasing tickets and attending the tournament or by volunteering. Daily tickets are available at the gate. To volunteer, call (419) 531-3277.

Witnessing an array of characters walking Toledo’s streets, parking lots or local establishments has morphed into a twisted pastime for me.
I don’t immediately assume someone is crazy; Bluetooth users have given reason to proceed with caution. More than once I have thought someone was engaging me in conversation, almost responded, then stopped myself, mildly embarrassed after seeing the device in their ear.
Recently, I observed someone walking down Secor Road, carrying on an intense conversation, complete with wild body language. I stared rudely, waiting to realize that some device was providing his ears ample reason to respond in such fashion. To my great amusement, that “Aha! moment” never came about.
With the abundance of Bluetooth users and iPod listeners, the “Aha! moment” — when one realizes that there is more to what one is observing — is expected.
I have been blessed with an abundance of “Aha! moments.” My most recent job was found by coincidence through an online ad. I immediately learned I had been blessed with a job with incredible stability, and that “Aha! moment” was combined with the later realization that I was going to miss the great crew I saw every morning before my sleepy, bloodshot eyes were partially cracked.
Beyond employment, I have been blessed with an incredible, stable family — a model I hope to replicate some day. It wasn’t until I was attending college out of state that I realized that my two parents, who were married before their first was born and are still married after 25 years, were quite a rarity. Today, 41 percent of all American children are born to single mothers. Let the saddening divorce rate complicate the remaining 59 percent, and the “Aha! moment” is not only staggering, but humbling.
To add to my “Aha! ” list, when I married three years ago, I had little idea who I was marrying, despite nearly three years of dating. The moment hit me like a boulder in Wile E. Coyote fashion when I realized after three years of marriage exactly what an astounding treasure I had legally locked up.
Her “Aha! moment” might have been one of agony, possibly realized after I launched a reckless campaign a few months into our wedded life. But as I bragged about her to others with renewed perspective, I couldn’t believe this wonderful “Aha! moment” — a moment only God could have been aware of on (and before) our wedding day.
I wonder if my “Aha! moment” has passed regarding the City of Toledo.
My experience in Toledo has been a full quarter-century. Toledo has it all, and everything else can be found an hour away. The spirit that thrives Downtown during summer baseball game days, the thrill at the Walleye games, the electricity that surrounded Crystal Bowersox’s “American Idol” visit and the excitement of Toledo summers cannot be replicated.
Property prices are incredible for buyers. The cost of living is magnificent. The winters might last too long, but the other three seasons in Northwest Ohio were created to be spent outside. The fabulous Metroparks system cannot be beat. The list of why this area is wonderful outweighs the list of negatives, but I still can’t find my “Aha! moment. ”
In Toledo, anything that has a remote chance of being politicized — from dogs to the YMCA — can and will be politicized to death. Elected goofballs have dotted Toledo’s political landscape, distracting and disturbing the population. The barriers to reality are obvious and boisterous.
Unfortunately, Toledo’s distractions are not the ones carrying on imaginary conversations, waving their arms, and creating harmless, amusing spectacles.
Maybe that’s where my moment was lost.

E-mail columnist Tom Morrissey at letters@toledofreepress.com.

For the last several decades, emerging markets have been the fad for business and investing. During that time, little was heard of US industry, which sat mostly on the back burner, away from the limelight. All we heard about was the new global economy and the world’s increasing flatness. American businesses began outsourcing production, then back-office administration, and even some engineering capabilities (typically considered our advantage over other, less-developed countries).

Now, after years of increasing momentum, attention, and investment, the emerging markets wave is finally coming dying down. Why? Quite simply, the world has changed. For example, while China was the long-time leader in cheap manufacturing, it recently lost that title to India and Mexico, according to a May, 2009 article from Industry Week (China Loses Low-Cost Manufacturing to India, Mexico, Agence France-Presse).

In fact, that same article cites a study from AlixPartners which revealed that, at the time, the cost of manufacturing a car in a Chinese plant was just 6% lower than its American counterpart. Moreover, recent stories abound of companies finding out the hard way that there are still difficulties in sending business overseas, and not just from a logistics standpoint.

Almost a year ago we observed that companies like Farouk Systems had to incur significant expenses month after month in their ongoing battle to prevent knock-off versions of their own products being produced in China right alongside their legitimate goods (Recovery in the Making, Danger Still Abounds). The same article reference Carlisle Wheel and Tire as one of many companies that have had major problems controlling the quality of offshore production.

What all this indicates is that the long-time trend of outsourcing is, as we’ve written before, most likely coming to an end. In fact, the flow of production may be getting ready to reverse course and actually start flowing back into the United States. This would be admittedly a very subtle, long-term trend that may not garner any significant attention for years.

The real underlying principle here is that everything in the world of business, economics, politics, et al, and hence, everything that has implications in the investment world, cycles. Some cycles are certainly longer than others. One example of a shorter term pattern comes from the old saying popular among traders, “Sell in May and go away,” which refers to the stock market’s natural tendency to slow down over the summer (which is very apparent at present) and for trading to traditionally pick back up again in the fall.

Just as market activity and trading volume cycle, so too do economics, including everything from inflation and interest rates to government spending and consumer confidence. All these things cycle, albeit with varying lengths, severities, and implications.

This idea that everything cycles is, consequently, one of our key arguments for why investors need to take an active approach to portfolio management. For those who want to do it themselves, this means the commitment of sufficient time to the study the economies and markets so that they are perpetually updating their holdings based on a changing economic environment.

For those who do not wish to dedicate the time, energy, and focus to this continual (and sometimes mundane) task, the consequence is that they need to look for (and hopefully find) an asset manager who is willing to do this work for them.

While such services certainly aren’t free, they are an absolute necessity for investors unwilling to do the legwork themselves. I’m sorry to say, but investing is no easy task. American’s access to financial markets and instruments make our country one of the greatest one the world. It’s important to understand that this does not in any way entitle us to a free lunch.

Dock David Treece is a stockbroker licensed with FINRA. He works for Treece Financial Services Corp (www.TreeceInvestments.com) and also serves as editor of the financial news site Green Faucet (www.GreenFaucet.com) and as a business commentator for Toledo Free Press. The above information is the express opinion of Dock David Treece and should not be construed as investment advice or used without outside verification.

Like just about every other mom around, I teared up a few times during “Toy Story 3.” There is something about watching a little boy make his way toward manhood that tugs ever so firmly at the heartstrings, apparently even boys of the animated variety. After years of seeing Andy relish the joys of childhood, just as I have my own son, the smallest hint of him leaving it all behind was a little too much parallel for this mom not to shed a few tears.

I want my son to grow up; that’s what this whole thing is about. We are supposed to take someone completely helpless at birth and raise them into an independent being. Why the realization that we are successfully doing so can throw such a large wrench into a mother’s heart is beyond me, however. The joy is there, but it is somewhat overshadowed by the overwhelming feeling that it’s all happening too fast.

My theory is that whatever mechanism allows us to recall a little thing our husband forgot to do twelve years ago as if it were twelve minutes ago also keeps our children’s milestones extremely close in mind. I can’t so much as buy my son a pair of shoes without wondering how he could possibly be a big boy’s size 2 already when it feels like I was just buying him his first pair yesterday. How could my little boy already be one of the big boys?

All of the signs are there. The once-ever-present Thomas the Tank Engine table has been replaced with soccer balls and baseball bats. “Candyland” and “Chutes and Latters” have been swapped out for Super Mario Bros. My son would much rather watch a Mud Hens game or “Wipeout” than “Clifford the Big Red Dog.” The turnover of interests that takes place in the first seven years of life is quite an astounding thing and is a constant reminder that stages certainly don’t last forever.

Even Jack’s friends are screaming “big boy invasion.” Pictures of purely innocent preschool faces and side by side tricycles are giving way to photos of missing teeth, dueling Nintendo DSes and lots of over-the-head bunny ears. The backyard seems to be shrinking in its capacity as a makeshift playing field, and one large pizza is surely no longer enough. The big boys are taking over, and they are here to stay.

My son has hit the jackpot as far as a nice group of friends is concerned and I now look forward to watching them grow into young men along side my own little guy. As touched as I was to experience my oldest niece’s high school graduation recently, I was equally taken emotionally by an unknown group of her fellow graduates standing outside after the ceremony. A crew of five or six newly-inaugurated men, now also newly graduated, stood with their mothers for a group picture as I caught a glimpse of my not-so-distant future.

Having the great fortune to have found myself in the midst of such a tight-knit crew by the end of my son’s kindergarten year, I look to one day stand side by side with my fellow mothers and our newly-inaugurated, newly-graduated young men as we tearfully prepare to hand them over to the world at large after a job well done. For now, I will continue to bemoan how second grade sounds so much older than first grade (and third so much older than second and fourth so much older than third). I will put aside all I know about Jay Jay the Jet Plane to instead memorize which type of cleat goes with which sport. I will remember to order enough pizza. I will attempt to realize and accept that my little boy isn’t quite so little anymore and will only keep getting bigger.

However, no matter how big he gets I will continue to love my big boy like he’s still my little boy – to infinity and beyond.

Shannon and her husband Michael are raising three children in Sylvania.

E-mail her at letters@toledofreepress.com.

Organizers, sponsors and members of the LPGA Tour are in talks to continue the Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic after the tournament’s contract expires this year.
In 2009, the LPGA Tour extended the Farr Classic’s contract for just the 2010 tournament, which will take place June 28 to July 4 at Highland Meadows Golf Club in Sylvania. The tournament’s director, Judd Silverman, and the LPGA Tour’s chief communications officer, David Higdon, said they would like to keep the Farr Classic on the LPGA Tour.
“I don’t think we have to offer [the LPGA Tour] any incentives. We’re in the process of trying to work out a win-win situation like we have been in the previous 26 years and I’m confident we’ll be able to do so,” Silverman said.
Still, the LPGA Tour is looking for certain terms from the Farr Classic such as a televised event and more playing opportunities, which could include an increase in the prize money, Higdon said.
“We’re trying to make it work for the sponsors and the city,” he said.
Because of the economy, the Farr Classic did have to make cuts this year, including eliminating ESPN2 coverage and decreasing the prize money, or purse, from $1.4 million to $1 million. However, the Classic will still donate $300,000 to 11 local children’s charities, Silverman said.
The tournament’s expenses are at $3.3 million and Silverman said he hopes the classic will gain $3.6  million to $3.7 million in revenue from sponsorships, ticket sales and advertisement sales.
The purse at Jamie Farr is the lowest out of all of this summer’s LPGA tournaments, according to purse figures listed on the LPGA’s website.
The purse decreased because the classic’s main sponsors, Owens Corning and The Kroger Co. were not able to donate as much money as in previous years, Silverman said.
Kroger donated the same amount of money, but allocated more to local charities and less to the purse this year, said Cheryl McCormick, public affairs manager for the Kroger Columbus division.
Owens Corning allocated less money for the tournament because of the economy, said Jason Saragian, a spokesman for the glass fiber company. Neither company would comment on future sponsorship of the Jamie Farr classic.
Higdon said a decision about next year probably will not be made until after this year’s event.
“Sometimes there’s a lot of pressure during the week of the tournament to make an announcement. It’s very difficult to come to a conclusion in discussions during the week of a tournament,” he said.

The Zac Brown Band will serve up Southern comfort in Toledo.
Fans will see some rugs, tables, lamps, maybe even a vintage Snoopy and Woodstock telephone onstage.
“It’s an idea that Zac came up with. He said, ‘You know, I really want the stage to look more like a living room.’ Everybody agreed, ‘Yeah, man, that would be perfect,’” said drummer Chris Fryar.

Zac Brown Band

The Atlanta band will play at 7 p.m. July 6 at the Toledo Zoo. The show is sold-out.
“Have we ever played at a zoo? Well, I don’t know; there’s definitely been some bars that we played at that resembled a zoo, a lot of ape-like activity going on,” Fryar joked during a call from Minnesota on a day off from the tour. “I didn’t realize that was really a zoo. Cool!”
His excitement was genuine, like the simple, good-time, country-flavored music the band has become known for since releasing “The Foundation” in 2008.
Consider lyrics from the group’s first hit, “Chicken Fried”: “You know I like my chicken fried/ Cold beer on a Friday night/ A pair of jeans that fit just right/ And the radio up.” And then there’s “Toes”: “I got my toes in the water, ass in the sand/ Not a worry in the world, a cold beer in my hand/ Life is good today.”
“We have so many different musical influences that we allow to seep in and color the music that we play … to say that we’re just a country band is really not a correct way to describe us because we do have such heavy reggae and rock and funk influences, and we just try to bring it all to the table,” Fryar said.
Fans and critics are eating it up. The group’s debut was certified double-platinum in April by the Recording Industry of America. And in January, the band received the Grammy Award for Best New Artist.
“All of us in the band were expecting Keri Hilson to win. She had a spectacular year in ’09,” Fryar said. “To win it was quite a shock and quite a surprise to us. … And there’s the Dave Matthews Band sitting in the row in front of us and they’re turning around and looking at us and clapping. Bon Jovi was on the other end of the row from where we were sitting and they were looking down the row, and I just remember looking around going, whoa, this isn’t real; somebody’s about to wake me up.”
Fryar joined lead singer and guitarist Brown, fiddler Jimmy De Martini, bassist John Driskell Hopkins, and guitarist and keyboardist Coy Bowles in 2008.
“I showed up and sat down behind the drum kit; musically, it just went really well, like putting on a really comfortable pair of jeans or like your favorite T-shirt. I felt very at home musically and with everybody’s personalities, just immediately felt like I was part of a family. And that was just the audition, and then I got the gig,” Fryar said.
Multi-instrumentalist Clay Cook joined the group in 2009.
In May, the band released, “Pass the Jar,” a DVD and two-CD set recorded live in Atlanta.
“When we get through with the show, we’re all completely exhausted because we’ve given all that we had to give, and we do that whether we’re playing in front of five people or 20,000, it does not matter,” Fryar said.